1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a vacuum cleaner. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an upright vacuum cleaner which draws in dust-laden air from a surface being cleaned, selectively through a suction port assembly or an extension pipe connected to a cleaner body, using a suction force generated by a motor housed in the cleaner body, and which separates the dust from the drawn air.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vacuum cleaners are generally classified into upright vacuum cleaners and canister vacuum cleaners. An upright vacuum cleaner has a suction port assembly which is directly connected to a cleaner body, without requiring a separate hose of extension pipe, and provides improved cleaning efficiency especially on carpets or upholstery, by using its own weight.
Unlike the upright vacuum cleaner, a canister vacuum cleaner has a suction port assembly connected to a cleaner body through a host and an extension pipe. The canister vacuum cleaner is easier for a user to manipulate than an upright vacuum cleaner, and therefore, the canister vacuum cleaner is generally used to clean narrow places which are not accessible by an upright vacuum cleaner, such as steps, or niches.
An upright vacuum cleaner is generally heavy and thus hard for a user to change the direction of a suction port assembly. Furthermore, since the suction port assembly generally moves in a linear direction, a user of an upright vacuum cleaner has to pull the vacuum cleaner towards him first, in order to move the suction port assembly to an intended location.
An example of a conventional upright vacuum cleaner is described in GB2391459, published on Feb. 11, 2004, by Dyson. The upright vacuum cleaner of GB2391459 includes a suction motor housed in a cleaner body, and a spherical rotatable member to increase maneuverability of the vacuum cleaner.
However, the conventional upright vacuum cleaner has a very complicated structure, and accordingly suffers deteriorated assemblability. Furthermore, a considerable amount of cost and time is required for repair and maintenance.